


Levi's Redemption

by watashinokuraikokoro



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Abuse, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Death, Denial, Depression, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, PTSD, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Trauma, Self-Harm, Self-Hatred, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-04
Updated: 2018-03-08
Packaged: 2018-11-23 13:04:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11402973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/watashinokuraikokoro/pseuds/watashinokuraikokoro
Summary: Levi has been in the underground his entire life. He lives in the captivity of his uncle, Kenny Ackerman, along with many other young teens who are continually sold to strangers for different tasks. Levi is rented by Erwin Smith, Commander of the Survey Corps, and his world is flipped upside-down, and irreversibly so.





	1. Chapter 1

Prologue

The gray, muddy-walled hallways were ingrained in his mind forever. No matter how many years he’d been away, he could still picture the exact set-up of the old, crumbly building. He could still smell the dust that never seemed to settle, always glowing in the streams of sunlight that leaked through the derelict, breaking roof. He could still feel the chill in the air in the winters and feel the humid heat in the summer nights on his skin. He still remembered the way his blood would run cold as he sat on the floor in his room, throwing his knife at the bed frame he shared with two other teens, when Kenny would yell his name, summoning him for whatever hellish deed he willed him to do... And Levi put on a stone face every single time he was called upon. Farlan and Isabel, his roommates, if you will, would tell him that the stone cold expression never left his features, like it had been engraved forever onto his head. 

“Levi?” The raven was ripped from his thoughts at the sound of his commander’s voice, “Let the past rest.”

Erwin, perceptive as ever, could always tell when Levi thought too hard and remembered the past a bit too vividly. He commented that his subordinate’s eyes would narrow and that the corners of his mouth would droop down in a disappointed manner. Erwin’s perceptiveness oftentimes irritated Levi greatly, yet he was somehow also grateful for the kindness of the tug back into reality. 

“It’s been resting for years now, Erwin,” Levi responded quietly, setting down his cup of tea that had now gone cold. “The past has been resting, but it sometimes stirs in its sleep, and...” He trailed off.

There was a hard rapping on the wooden door to Erwin’s office suddenly, cutting through the air like a knife, causing Levi’s heart to skip a beat, though his composure remained the same. Erwin stood and opened the door to find a man he hadn’t seen in years. He was tall, his greasy, graying hair slicked back and his eyes sharp as Erwin recalled. He was even dressed the same as he had been when the commander first met him; the only difference was that he was holding a gun which was pointed directly at Erwin’s forehead.

“... Knock knock,” Kenny said slyly, “The past has awoken.”


	2. An Example

"This way!" Isabel directed, grabbing Farlan's hand and pulling him to the right, Levi in tow, "It's a shortcut to the exit, and Kenny won't know the way if we can get far enough out of sight!"

Levi hesitated; he knew every path in the underground, every alleyway, every street, like the back of his hand. This was not a pathway he was familiar with. Though he trusted Isabel, he felt something was incredibly off about where they were headed.

"Isabel, are you sure this is the way out?" Harlan questioned, panting from exertion while glancing around warily as they ran. It both unnerved levi and relieved him to know that he wasn't the only one who was doubtful. 

"I'm positive! It's right after this turn..." Isabel said, grinning widely. She took the sharp turn, barely slowing her run to do so, when a gasp was elicited from her. Levi and Farlan made the turn just after she did, and dropped their jaws in horror as the realization hit them; they'd come to a dead end, and Kenny was right on their tails. Their escape plan had failed, and the consequences would be devastating. 

"Kso*..." Levi swore, "Get behind me, Isabel. Farlan, watch her," The raven ordered hastily, procuring from his pocket a switch knife, assuming a fighting stance. He positioned himself against the wall, glancing around the corner in attempt to get a better idea of Kenny's whereabouts. Seeing his uncle at a distance, he turned once more to his friends. "If you see an opportunity, run. Don't wait for me, I'll get away eventually. Just run. Understood?"

Isabel frowned, tears in her eyes, "No, nii-chan*! I'm not leaving you!" Harlan squeezed her arm, a warning for her to quiet down. The blond then turned to Levi and nodded solemnly, mouthing, "Thank you, Levi." Moments later, Kenny rounded the corner. Levi leaped towards him, dodging his Uncle's reflective swing and then maneuvering behind him to strike with the knife. Kenny successfully dodged Levi's attempted move, and the two fought back and forth, each striking, receiving hits, and dodging, in an almost dance-like manner. Levi managed to catch a glimpse of his two friends, who had successfully made their way around the two Ackermans and began to make their way out of there, when, in the brief moment of distraction, Kenny disarmed him and threw him into a headlock.

"Mmph!" Levi grunted loudly, attempting to elbow his Uncle in the abdomen, but to no avail. Kenny pulled out his own knife hastily and pressed the blade to Levi's neck, causing his nephew to still himself.

Levi's Uncle leaned down, his mouth almost pressing against the teens ear, his breath on Levi's neck, and whispered in a voice that shook the raven to the core, "You will never get away from me; I'll be with you till the day you die."

In one swift movement, Kenny jerked his wrist to the side, pulling the knife across Levi's throat and creative a deep crevice from which blood flowed. The raven crumpled to the floor, raising his hands to his neck and choking, gasping for air-

"Levi!"

Levi shot up from his bed, panting. He looked around himself frantically, his brain desperately trying to place itself. In a state of horror, he reached his pale fingertips to his throat to find that it was completely intact; there was no blood, not even a small scratch.

"Levi," Farlan repeated again, more softly this time, "You..."

The raven looked Farlan in the eyes, quieting the blond. He then turned to Isabel, who sat in silence at the foot of their shared bed, watching. "It was only a dream," Levi stated in attempt to ease their worry, though his voice cracked. He cleared his throat and tried again. "It was just a dream, that's all." Deep down, he knew that his words were more of an attempt to comfort himself.

The redheaded girl seemed to have sensed this, for she crawled across the dusty, hay-filled mattress and laid her head on Levi's shoulder, clutching his hand and giving it a loving squeeze. 

When was the last time you bathed, Isabel?" Levi questioned teasingly, though his voice remained even and his face stoic. The younger female giggled quietly, causing the raven to roll his eyes and Farlan to smile fondly at her. 

"Kenny let me bathe four days ago because I got back from a stay with some bastard, so I'm probably cleaner than you are," Isabel responded cheekily.

The three shared a room with one, small, scratchy mattress on the hard, dirt floor. There were no windows, causing the air to be musty and humid at all times, as well as producing a rancid smell from somewhere in the room that couldn't be aired out, the source of which Levi had not yet discovered. It wasn't much, and it was certainly what one would consider to be a hellhole, but they did their best to make the most of it, levi doing daily cleaning, Isabel bringing in flowers from occasional assignments, and Farlan preparing the ever-growing holes in the mattress.

"What did you dream about, nii-chan*?" Isabel asked out of the blue, breaking the peaceful silence. Levi closed his eyes and exhaled softly. Isabel, such a curious soul, always asking the wrong questions simply because her constantly questioning mind could never be satiated. 

"About how I'm going to beat the shit out of Kenny one day, that's all," Levi answered with a small, forced smirk. His mask was a promise he made to himself; he would never allow himself to falter and break, for his friends' sakes, especially Isabel, who had adopted him as her older brother. Levi didn't want her to grow up without a role model of sorts, so he filled that role as much as he could himself, teaching her to defend and value herself, though living under the circumstances that they did created more than a few difficulties, inhibiting his ability to do so at times.

A chill went through the trio's bones when the creaky wooden door was thrown open suddenly and harshly. Isabel started, Farlan sharply inhaled, and Levi clenched his teeth silently as their cruel master strolled into the room, hands in his pockets.

Kenny glanced around the room nonchalantly, yet there was a glimmer of some malicious intent in his eye, not that such a glimmer was uncommon. "...This room looks like a damn pig's stye. While Levi's away, you ought to scrub it a bit, if you know what's best for you..." The man gave Isabel a pointed look, who stared at her feet timidly in response.

"I don't think it's our fault that this room looks like a pig's stye - I can assure you, Uncle, that I do my best to keep the roaches out," Levi dared to say in reply, getting to his feet and crossing his arms.

"I would advice against letting your thoughts fall from your mouth with such audacity, nephew." Kenny pulled a hand out of his pocket, and with it a switch knife, which he twirled between his fingers as a threat. Levi's eyes darted to and from it, knowing that he'd have a new scar or two to add to his collection if he didn't watch himself. He had enough leniency when it came to his behavior with his uncle, but that didn't save him from much. He learned that long ago. His relation meant almost nothing to Kenny.

"So, 'while Levi's away'... Who are you selling me to this time?" Levi pondered aloud, questioning the quote, "How much is the scoundrel paying you?"

Kenny approached his nephew calmly, his face expressionless. "Anyone with anything to do with the government is corrupt, especially in this age, you know..." The taller man grabbed Levi's undercut roughly and jerked it towards himself, forcing Levi to look him in the eye, "Even those we thought innocent and just. They also pay quite the pretty penny. I'm selling you to the Commander of the Survey Corps."

*"Kso" - Japanese word for "damn".  
*"Nii-chan" - Japanese word for "brother" (endearing form).


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So um... Yeah, it's been like... A really long time since I've updated. Oops. To be fair, life is dramatic af and school is killer. I've recently become much, much less busy, so I'll update more, I promise. 
> 
> Also, please forgive any typos, I recently spilled juice on my keyboard so the keys sometimes don't work. Oops. C'est la vie. 
> 
> Also, is it better that I post shorter chapters more frequently, or longer chapters less frequently? This one is shorter, sorry, but it's been a while since I've even thought about this story so I'm trying to ease back into it. Feedback is much appreciated, as always. 
> 
> It's super late and I'm too tired to proofread, so again, forgive typos or weird sounding sentences.<3

It had been a long night. Levi was quite sure that he had stayed up all night, although the sun rose more quickly than it should have. He laid on the scratchy hay-filled bed staring at the wall, anticipating the harsh knock on his door from Kenny that would be his wake-up call. 

He listened to the soft breathing from Farlan and Isabel, and turning to look at them, saw that the older male was cradling Isabel, who lay next to him. He wondered how long he would be away working for the commander of the Survey Corps. How many weeks would he have to sleep in solitude? How many hours would he have to go without hearing Isabel's jovial laugh or Farlan's mother-like chiding? 

The world was so corrupt. Obviously, Levi of all people knew that, but he could not help but still be surprised to hear that the commander of the Survey Corps was even warped and twisted enough to got to the underground and hire a slave for... God only knew what. The commander of the Survey Corps was expected, by most, at least, to be the savior of their small world, to find a way to free the people from the wrath of the titans. And yet, he was purchasing a young man from a horrific, murderous, selfish scumbag. 

The commander of the Survey Corps was now no better than Kenny, in Levi's mind.

XXX

Levi stood stoically as his hands were bound behind him roughly and as a blindfold was put over his eyes. He used to struggle and feel humiliated, his pride overwhelming him, but soon enough he had learned that it was pointless, only making things worse. 

It was a simple process; Levi would be bound and blindfolded and brought to wherever Kenny had agreed to meet his client at. There, they would exchange the money and the "product", and Kenny would give a brief explanation to the client of what would happen if the product was not returned. Levi had once attempted to not be returned (very early on, mind you - he knew better now) and the horror that had taken place... he would never risk it again, he knew. All he could do was hope that whomever he was being sold to was a more merciful man than others he had been with before.

Levi was spun in circles, Kenny's rough hands guiding him ungently and then pushing him forward. Levi lost all sense of direction - not that it mattered. He didn't care to find the meeting place or memorize the route out anymore. He had given that up long ago. 

The raven remained silent the whole of the trip. It was shorter than usual, but he didn't bother asking why. He highly doubted he would receive an answer. He was then harshly pulled up a flight of stairs, without warning, stumbling slightly from the sudden change in terrain. 

"Ah, Mr. Smith, a pleasure to see you again," Kenny spoke, firmly grasping Levi's shoulder as a signal to stop. They had reached their transaction point. 

"Please, no need for formalities. Call me Erwin. I presume this is Levi?" The voice that spoke was strong, seemingly indifferent sounding. It made Levi's insides boil. The fact that a man who was doing something so horrible and condoning the selling of young adults and children made him sick, especially when the man was renowned for being honorable, level-headed and just. 

"It sure is. My very own nephew, top of the selection, perfect in every task. He had better be returned by the deadline unharmed. If he's damaged in the slightest, you'll be damaged irreparably." Kenny stated it as though it were an invitation to his birthday party, casually with delight. It was unnerving, something Levi would never get used to.

"Of course. Here is the payment, as promised," The foreign voice of the commander, who Levi now knew was named Erwin, said as a rustling noise was made. The sound of paper being shifted could be heard, and Kenny mumbled numbers ever-growing under his breath. 

"Alright, have at him," Kenny said casually, shoving Levi forward unexpectedly. Levi managed to keep his footing and go forward slowly until he felt who he presumed to be the commander put a hand firmly on his upper arm.


End file.
